10 Biggest NBA Free Agency Signings of the 2010s

With the 2024 NBA Free Agency taking place, it’s important to go back into NBA history and see how much free agency signings have affected the league’s history.

Despite still being used as a way to bring in talent, stars switching teams during this period became much more common during the 2010s. The 2010s saw players signing from superteam to superteam while creating legacies in the process.

These are the ten biggest signings that came out of free agency in the 2010s, and what impact they had on the NBA.

10 LaMarcus Aldridge – San Antonio Spurs

Solid success in the West

Despite not being able to bring a ring to the San Antonio Spurs , LaMarcus Aldridge had an impactful time with the franchise as they had multiple successful playoff runs while he was on the roster.

Signing in 2015, Aldridge joined a young Kawhi Leonard and an old Tim Duncan to try and turn the Spurs back into contenders after a bad playoff exit. In 2016, San Antonio had a historical record of 67-15, still in the top-10 of all-time for most wins in a regular season.

His best year in terms of post-season success with the Spurs came in 2017 when he and Kawhi helped bring the team to the Conference Finals after another 60-win regular season. This, alongside many other accomplishments Aldridge had on the Spurs, such as multiple All-Star appearances, is why he was one of the greatest NBA signings of the last decade.

9 Kawhi Leonard – Los Angeles Clippers

Two-time champ hasn’t replicated success in LA

Speaking of Kawhi Leonard, he was also one of the biggest signings in the 2010s. In 2019, fresh off of an NBA Championship ring with the Toronto Raptors , Leonard decided to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers for a fresh start.

The franchise also brought in Paul George to help contend in the West, but so far the main talk of Kawhi’s time in LA has been the injuries he has suffered. The superstar missed the entire 2021-22 seasons and hasn’t had a single 70-game season in his five years with the team.

Despite struggling to make waves in the playoffs in recent years, the team made the Conference Finals in 2021 before being eliminated by the Phoenix Suns . In the past two years, the Clippers have been in conversations to compete heavily in the post-season but were eliminated both times in the first round.

Despite the lack of recent playoff success, Leonard is still a member of the Clippers roster and the team is still capable of contending. The front office did not re-sign George this offseason, so it might be curious to see the direction they are looking to take.

8 Kyrie Irving – Brooklyn Nets

The dynasty that never was

In 2019, the Brooklyn Nets made two monumental free agency signings, one of them being Kyrie Irving . Irving, alongside Kevin Durant , joined a struggling Nets team that had a lot of cap space to be handed out.

The multiple-time All Star had a short stint in Brooklyn that was great yet uneventful due to injuries. In his four years with the team, he only played a total of 154 regular-season games. However, Irving still had multiple playoff runs with the Nets and played a major role in each of them.

Irving, alongside Durant and James Harden , created one of the biggest what-ifs of all time, and if it wasn’t for injuries, they could very well have won a championship together.

7 Andre Iguodala – Golden State Warriors

Pivotal piece of Warriors dynasty

Andre Iguodala might not be as skilled as others on this list, however, his impact on the Golden State Warriors played a huge part in their four NBA Championships. The former All Star signed with the Warriors in 2013, around the same time Stephen Curry was turning into a star.

In 2015, the Warriors won their first championship of the 2010s, with Iguodala being the man to take home the Finals MVP award. He also played a vital role in the championships that were won in 2017 and 2018.

Although he did not have to contribute as much in 2022 due to younger stars coming up and his old age playing a factor, he still played solid minutes throughout the season and was once again a help to the Golden State. The Warriors will go down as one of the greatest dynasties of all time, and Iggy had a huge part to play in that.

6 Kevin Durant – Brooklyn Nets

Came within a shoe size of making run to Finals

Joining Irving on the Nets, Kevin Durant decided to leave the Warriors in free agency in 2019. He was forced to miss his first year due to injury but had three great individual seasons following that.

His biggest success on the Nets came when he was able to force the Milwaukee Bucks to seven games in their 2021 second round matchup. While Irving was injured and Harden was playing inefficiently, Durant was having monumental games that kept Brooklyn on the run.

The Nets could have made the finals if it wasn’t for Durant’s unnatural build and shoe size, as the late game-three he made in Game 7 against the Bucks turned out to be a two as his foot was just over the arc. It turned what could have been a potential finals run into a second round exit. Despite no championship coming from this superteam, it was certainly a team to remember and a huge era for the Nets.

5 LeBron James – Los Angeles Lakers

LeBron’s last dance

Though the most recent, this certainly won’t be the last time LeBron James is seen on this list. In 2018, after bringing a championship home to the Cleveland Cavaliers , LeBron decided to take his talents to the L.A. Lakers .

Already regarded as one of the most successful franchises of all time, James added to that as he and Anthony Davis were able to bring a championship to the Lakers in 2020. LeBron won his fourth-ever Finals MVP award, and this one brought him even closer to ‘Goat’ status.

After a few tough seasons, LeBron brought the Lakers back to the Conference Finals in 2023, where they suffered an unfortunate series loss to the future NBA Champions, Denver Nuggets . James will certainly end his career with the Lakers, marking the end of a legendary career as part of a legendary franchise.

4 Chris Bosh – Miami Heat

Big 3 is formed in South Beach

Chris Bosh played a vital role in bringing the Miami Heat two NBA Championships when he signed with them in 2010. This signing not only turned Bosh from a star into an all-time great, but also successfully formed the Big 3.

Bosh joined the already-signed James and Heat legend Dwyane Wade to form what turned out to be one of the greatest superteams of all time. The big man constantly played at a star level and eventually took over as the team’s leading scorer, which he did in 2016.

After LeBron’s exit in 2014, Bosh had a few more great years with the Heat before being forced to retire due to a blood-clot issue. In 13 years, Bosh was an 11-time All Star (six with the Heat), and a two-time NBA Champion. Unlike most, Bosh retired at an All-Star level, so it will never be known how much he had left in the tank.

3 LeBron James – Miami Heat

James finally gets his ring

Joining Bosh in 2010 was none other than LeBron James . The two signed with the Heat to create one of the greatest superteams of all time. However, with LeBron, the move was looked at as a betrayal, as he left his hometown team to get easy championships elsewhere.

Despite the criticism, LeBron was able to accomplish his goal as he won two championships with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013, while also winning his first two Finals MVPS. He was also able to prove his impact, as after he departed from Cleveland, the franchise fell apart until he returned in 2014.

LeBron also won two MVPs in his four-year stint with the Heat, marking the last time he has won that award. James signing with Miami was one of the most important decisions in NBA history as he proved that he is one of the greatest to ever play the sport.

2 LeBron James – Cleveland Cavaliers

The King comes back home

James’ returning home to the Cavaliers in 2014 was not only one of the biggest free agency signings in NBA history but also one of the greatest signings in the history of sports. The man who left his hometown to achieve success elsewhere was finally coming back home to complete his promise of bringing Cleveland a championship.

In 2016, he was able to do just that as the Cavaliers won their first-ever NBA title with James winning Finals MVP. Although James only won one championship in his second stint with the Cavs, it was one of the most memorable and important rings of all time.

This signing will go down as one of the most legendary signings ever, as the hometown hero returned to give his home state the title they had never won.

1 Kevin Durant – Golden State Warriors

From a superteam to a dynasty

In 2016, one of the most shocking moments in sports history occurred and no one could have predicted it. Kevin Durant left the Oklahoma City Thunder to join the Warriors. Even non-NBA fans turned on Durant, calling him the biggest snake in sports.

He left a contending Thunder team that had just made the Conference Finals to join not only his biggest rival but also already one of the greatest NBA superteams in history. However, Durant took this superteam and was the main factor in turning it into a dynasty.

In just three years with the franchise, KD brought two more championships to Golden State (2017 and 2018) and won Finals MVP for both of them. With the help of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green, and Andre Iguodala, Durant was able to complete his goal of winning championships, cementing himself as one of the greatest to ever play the sport.

All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference.

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